"I have walked a long walk to freedom," the teaser trailer for "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom begins. "It has been a lonely road, and it is not over yet," the clip continues.
The trailer, which was released Friday, shows six children running through the hills, presumably of South Africa, playing with and chasing a silver-haired, colorfully dressed solitary man, presumably Mandela.
Also read: 'Mandela' Filmmaker Justin Chadwick to Direct 'Tulip Fever' for Weinstein Co.
The movie chronicles Nelson Mandela's life journey from childhood in a rural village through his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
The 94-year-old Mandela is currently in critical condition, but reportedly responding to treatment in the hospital.
See video: Nelson Mandela: 5 Great Interviews in the Life of a Legend
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin," the trailer narration continues. "People learn to hate. They can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart."
The film stars Idris Elba ("Pacific Rim") as Nelson Mandela and Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela. It is directed by Justin Chadwick and distributed in the U.S. by The Weinstein Company.
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" opens in theaters in the U.K. on Jan. 3.
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